Shipping-receptacle.



J. A. WILLIS.

SHIPPING RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25. 1916 1,2QQ789. Patented Oct. 10. 1916.

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J. A. WILLIS.

SHIPPING RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25. I916.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

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JOHN A. WILLIS, or noon RIVER, OREGON.

SHIPPING-REGEPTACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Application filed February 25, 1916. Serial No. 80,435.

This invention relates to containers in which articles are shipped, and designed more particularly for shipping eggs, fruit, butter, and like perishable commodities either by parcel post, freight or express, and has for one of its objects to increase the efficiency, utility and safety of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to pro-- vide a device of this character which may be constructed of any required size or capacity and in which provision is made for maintaining the contents in separated condition, especially when eggs, fruit and the like are carried.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having a plurality of receptacles for the articles to be shipped and supported in superimposed position and adapted to be inserted in and removed bodily from the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the container is provided with a reinforcing or supporting means to protect the contents from injury from external causes and likewise to prevent surreptitious access to the contents.

WVith these and. other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereafter fully described and particularly claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of the improved device; Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail illustrating the construction of a portion of one of the reinforcing devices; Fig. 1 is a detached perspective view of the tray supporting and carrying member; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the improved device arranged for shipment; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the device arranged for carrying a greater number of articles; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a modification in the construction.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The improved device comprises a container or casing closed at one end and'with a detachable cover at the other end, a plurality of trays superimposed and arranged to be supported for bodily insertion or removal from the container or casing, and reinforcing bands to support the container.

The container may be of any required form or size and it is not desired, therefore, to limit the improved device in this respect, but the container will preferably be circular, as shown, and comprises an inner member having vertical walls 10, preferably of heavy card-board, an outer covering or wall 11, preferably of tough paper and water proof, and an intermediate layer of protecting material, such as asbestos or the like, and inclicated at 13. The bottom of the container is formed of two thicknesses 1415, preferably of wood and superimposed and united in any suitable manner. The inner layer 14 is of less diameter than the outer layer 15, or corresponding to the inner diameter of the wall 10 of the closure and fitting into the lower end of the same, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The outer layer 15 of the bottom corresponds to the inner diameter of the outer covering 11 and to which the latter is attached. Extending between the layers 14e-- 15 of the bottom are metal bands 17, crossing each other at the center of the bottom and directed upwardly in close contact with the outer faces of the body portion 10 of the container, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Suitable channels to receive the bands will preferably be formed in the upper face of the layer 15 or in the lower face'of the layer 14 of the bottom, so that the major portionsof the layers which comprise the bottom of the container lie in close contact. The upwardly directed portions of the bands 17, it will be noted, are embedded in the filling portion 13. Surrounding the rim of the container is a wire binder member 18, and at their upper ends the vertical portions of the straps 17 are coiled around this wire binder.-

The cover of the container is likewise formed of two thicknesses of material 19- 20, preferably wood, and similar to the layers 1415 of the bottom. The inner layer 19 corresponds in diameter to the inner diameterof the body 10, while the outer layer 20 is of greater diameter and extends over the outer covering 11 of the container. Straps 21 extend over the cover member 20 and overlap at their inner ends and are swingingly united at their outer ends, as represented at 22 to the band members 18. The vertical portions of the straps 17 are reduced in width where they engage the band members 18, and the terminals of the band members 21 are bifurcated to engage around the band at each side of the reduced terminals of the band 17. By this arrangement the band members 21 may swing out wardly upon the members 18, the latter serving as a pintle to the hinge connection between the members 21 and 17 By this arrangement the bands may be caused to swing outwardly when the cover is to be detached or applied and then moved over with their terminals overlapping at the center of the cover, as shown in Fig. Embedded in the cover member between the portions 19-20 is a nut 23, and adapted to receive a fastening device in the form of a threaded bolt 24 which passes through the overlapped terminals of the band portions 21 and into the nut 23, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5. One of the band members 21 may be extended, as shown at 25 in Fig. 5, and slotted, as shown at 26, to receive a staple 27 which is secured in the cover member 20 and extends through a corresponding slot, not shown, in the adjacent band member," 21. The staple may be utilized to receive a/lock or seal of any suitable form. By this simple means the container and its cover are reinforced and firmly supported and the contents amply protected.

Embedded in the bottom member 14: is a foot member 28, and rising from the foot member is a rod 29, which extends upwardly through the container and is threaded at its upper end to engage in the lower portion of the nut 23, the latter being of suflicient thickness to receive both the bolt 24 and the rod 29. In applying the cover 19-20 after the rod 29 is located in the container, it will be necessary to rotate the cover a sufiicient number of times to cause the threads of the nut 23 to engage the rod and thus firmly bind the cover in position.

- Bearing over the rod 29 is a tabular member 30 having a relatively large supporting disk 31 at its lower end which rests upon the inner face of the bottom member 14. A plurality of trays are arranged within the container and superimposed, and each comprising a bottom 32, a short tubular central portion 33, which bears around the tubular member 30, and an outer vertical wall 34, the latter preferably spaced slightly from the inner face of the body portion 10 of the container. Any required number of the trays may be employed according to the capacity of the container, but for the purpose of illustration four of the trays are shown in Fig. 2, each tray large enough to support six eggs, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the central tubular portion 33 and the outer tubular portion 3 1 being united at suitable intervals by radial partitions 35. The distance between the partitions 35, it will be .noted by reference to Fig. 2, are spaced a distance to support the sides of the eggs and prevent lateral displacement, the eggs being indicated conventionally at 36. \Vhen employed for carrying articles other than eggs, for instance fruit and the like, the sizes of the trays and the distances apart of the partitions will be varied according to the size of the articles to be carried. The cover member 19 will be provided with a socket,

increased in size without materially changing the construction.

lVhen employed for shipping smaller objects or commodities, the structure disclosed in Fig. 7 will be employed. The trays, the rod 29 and the tubular member 30 will be dispensed with, but substantially no other changes are made.

The improved device is simple in construction, can be inexpensively manufactured and of any suitable material or capacity, and effectually protects the contents from contact with surrounding objects and likewise protects the contents from heat, cold or moisture.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a deviceof the class described, a container including a bottom, a rod extending from said bottom, a tubular member bearing loosely over said rod, a plurality of trays resting one upon the other and through which said tubular member extends, the lowermost tray being supported by the tubular member, a cover for said container, and means for connecting said cover to said rod.

2. In a device of the class described, a container including a bottom, a rod extending from said bottom, a tubular member bearing loosely over said rod, a plurality of trays resting one upon the other and each including a central sleeve through which said tubular member extends, the lowermost tray being supported by the tubular member, a cover for said container, and means for connecting said cover to said rod.

3. In a device of the class described, a container including a bottom, a rod extend ing from said bottom, a tubular member bearing loosely over said rod and having a laterally directed foot, a plurality of trays resting one upon the other and through which said tubular member extends, the lowermost tray being supported by the lateral foot of the tubular member, a cover for said container, and means for connecting said cover to said rod.

4. In a device of the class described, a container including a bottom, a cover for said container having a threaded member and a downwardly opening socket, a rod extending from said bottom to engage said threaded member, a tubular member having a laterally directed foot and bearing over said rod and seating in its upper end in said socket, and a plurality of superimposed trays supported by said foot and each having a tubular central portion through which said tubular member passes.

5. In a device of the class described, a container having a bottom of superimposed members, a rod extending through said container and having a lateral foot disposed between said bottom members, a cover for said container of superimposed members, a member disposed between said cover members and having a threaded aperture to receive said rod, bands extending between the members of said bottom and in contact with the foot of said rod and extended to engage over the cover with their terminals overlapping and apertured, and a threaded securing member passing through the apertured terminal of the bands and into the threaded member between the cover mem-' bers.

6. In a device of the class described, a container including a bottom of superimposed members and a top of superimposed members, a member having a threaded aperture and disposed between the members of said top, bands extending between the members of said bottom and over the top with their terminals overlapping and apertured, and a threaded fastening device extending through said overlapping band terminals and into the threaded members.

7. In a device of the class described, a closure including top bottom and sides, the sides being formed of a plurality of superimposed layers, a holding band surrounding the sides, reinforcing bands extending through the bottom and between the layers of the sides and connected at their upper ends to the holding band, and other bands swingingly coupled to the holding bands and extending over the top with their terminals overlapping, and a fastening device operating through the overlapping terminals.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN A. WILLIS. [L.s.]

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

